Sediment remobilization of Mercury in South San Francisco Bay, California

Field and laboratory studies were conducted in April and November 2003 to provide the first direct measurements of the benthic flux of dissolved mercury species (total and methylated forms) between the bottom sediment and water column at two sampling locations within the southern component of San Francisco Bay, California (hereafter referred to as South Bay): one within the main channel and the other in the western shoal area. Because of interest in the effects of historic mercury mining within watersheds that drain into South Bay, the solutes of primary interest were dissolved-mercury species and the predominant ligands that often control mercury speciation (dissolved sulfide and dissolved organic carbon). Benthic flux, sometimes [...]